Ticket printing machine



Jan. 4, 1938. G. w. HENRY, JR 2,104,647

TICKET PRINTING MACHINE Original Filed June 2, 1933 5 Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 4, 1938. e. w. HENRY, JR 2,104,647

TICKET PRINTING MACHINE Original Filed June 2, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jan. 4, 1938. G. w. HENRY, JR

- TICKET PRINTING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Original Fild June 2, 1933 Jan. 4, 1938.

G.'W. HENRY, JR

TlCKET PRINTING MACHINE original Filed June 2, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Jan. 4, 1938. (3., w HENRY, JR 2,104,647

I I TICKET PRINTING MACHINE I Original Filed June 2, 1933 s Shets-Sheet 5 Ewe/712 Patented Jan. 4, 1938 STATES PATENT OFFICE to Soabar Company,

Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application June 2, 1933, Serial No. 674,092 Renewed June 4, 1937 12 Claims.

This invention relates to tag-printing machines of the general character disclosed in my prior Patent No. 1,814,923, dated July 14, 1931, and the object of the present invention is to provide a machine of the stated character incorporating certain improved mechanical movements and structural changes affording generally improved operating characteristics and increased durability. The various novel elements of mechanism will be individually set forth in the following description and claims, and are illustrated in the attached drawings, in which:

Figure l is a front elevational view of a machine made in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the machine;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the machine;

Figs. 4 and 5 are fragmentary horizontal sectional views illustrating details of the operating mechanism;

ing a further detail of mechanism;

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary sectional View illustrating the details of the label-feeding mechanism;

Fig. 8 is a view in perspective of the label- 5 feeding dog;

Fig. 9 is a view in perspective of the shim plate used as a facing for the printing platen when the machine is used for printing labels;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary view in perspective showing details of the printing mechanism;

Fig, 11 is a view in perspective of the type box;

Fig. 12 is a view in perspective of a section of a series of tags for the printing of which the -machine is adapted;

5 Fig. 13 is a view in perspective of a series of labels of a form adapted to operation of the machine, and

Fig. 14 is a view in perspective of a strip of pin tickets for printing which the machine is also adapted.

With reference to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings, the machine comprises a rigid frame having uprights I and a top plate 2, which plate constitutes the base for the greater portion of the mechanism. Suspended beneath the plate is an electric motor 3 which through suitable transmission gearing 4 drives a vertical shaft 5. This shaft carries a ratchet 6 which coop-- erates with a pawl I pivotally secured to the under side of a cam 8, which cam is secured to a shaft 9 journaled in the plate 2 in axial alignment with the shaft 5. A spring H normally holds the pawl l in engagement with the ratchet 6, and the arrangement is such that rotation of the shaft 5 results, through the interengaged Fig. 6 is a fragmentary elevational View show-v pawl and ratchet 6-4, in a corresponding rotation of the shaft 9 and of the cam 8. When the pawl 1 is withdrawn from the ratchet 6, the coupling between the shaft 5 and the shaft 9 is broken. The shape of the pawl 'l is best shown in broken lines in Fig. 5, wherein it is shown held by the spring II in engagement with the ratchet 6. Means is provided in the form of an adjustable dog l2 for automatically retracting the pawl I from the ratchet 6.

This dog is mounted upon a stud l3 projecting from a depending arm id of the plate 2, and a spring l5, see Fig. 1, also mounted on the stud, tends to hold the dog 12 in an elevated position as shown in Fig. 6 abutting the lower end of a rod l6, see Fig. 1, which depends from the under side of the plate 2. In this position, the inner end of the dog l2 lies in the path of the outwardly projecting tail portion la of the dog I, see Fig. 5, so that as the pawl is carried around with the cam 8 by reason of its engagement with the ratchet 6, the outer end of the pawl tail Ia engages the surface I20. of the dog l2, which acts as a cam to retract the hooked end of the pawl from the ratchet, the tail 1a of the pawl eventually lodging in the recess I211 of the dog l2 in which it remains. It will be noted that the dog thereby acts not only to disengage the pawl from the ratchet 6, but also as a definite stoplimiting the floating movement of the cam 8 and the shaft 9 after the pawl has been disengaged. The pawl is released from the dog I2 and again permitted toengage the ratchet G by elevating the outer end of the dog against the pressure of the spring l5 and by thereby depressing the inner end of the dog in which the pawl is engaged. The spring ll then promptly draws the hooked end of the pawl 1 inwardly against the ratchet. Manipulation of the dog to release the pawl as described may be efiected by direct elevation of the outer end of the dog or by depression of a lever l8 which is pivotally secured at I!) to the under side of the plate 2 and which carries a pivotally attached depending arm 2| having a shoulder 22 adapted to engage the upper surface of the inner end of the dog 12, as illustrated in Fig. 6. A spring 23 holds the depending arm 2! resiliently in the operative position with regard to the dog l2, as illustrated. It will be apparent that by depressing the lever l8, the inner end of the dog l2 will be depressed through the medium of the depending rod 2|.

Means is also provided for holding the lever H3 in the depressed position to thereby hold the dog I2 in an inoperative position as regards the pawl This means takes the form of a bracket 24 depending from the under side of the plate 2, see Fig. 1, which bracket contains a slot 25 through which the outer end of the lever |8 extends, and this slot has an offset lower portion into which the rod l8 when depressed may be transversely displaced and so held in the depressed position, as shownin Fig. 1. In the resulting adjusted position of the dog l2, actuation of the motor 3 Will result in a continuous rotation through the coup-ling mechanism of the shaft 9; but when the dog I2 is elevated, as shown in Fig. 6 and as previously described, the pawl I will be retracted,

thereby interrupting operation of the shaft 9, al-

though the shaft 5 continues to operate. By momentarily releasing the pawl, the cam 8 and shaft 9 may be permitted to make one or any desired number of revolutions before the pawl is again retracted, and the dog |2 thereby affords a control means for the mechanism permitting intermittent operation of the mechanism.

As previously setforth, the shaft'fi carries a cam 8 located below the plate 2,'and this same shaft also carries above the plate 2 a second cam 26. This cam 26, see Fig. 4, has cam grooves in both its upper and lower faces. The groove 21 in the upper face receives a roller 28 on the under side of a lever 29 pivotallysecured at 3| to the top of an upstanding arm 32 on the plate 2. The free end of the lever 29 is connected by a link 33 with a second lever 34 which rests slidably upon the upper surfaces of lugs 35 and'36 projecting upwardly from the'plate 2. The lever 34 finds a floating fulcrum 31 on the freeend of a lever 38 which'is pivotally secured at 39 on a stud projecting upwardly from the plate 2 and whose other end carries a roller 4| engaged in the cam groove 42 on the under side of the cam 26. The fulcrum 31 consists of a pin 43 which extends downwardly through an opening in the lever 34. The upper end of this pin occupies a transverse slot 44 in' the free end of the lever 38in which it is held by means of a screw 45 which extends freely through an opening in the outer end of' the arm 38 and sthreaded into the pin 43. The screw. 45 is releasably locked in the lever 38 by means ofa set screw 46, see Fig. 3.1 'Ihisfarrangement'provides for adjustment between the pin 43' which,

as previously described, is journaled in the lever 34, and the outer end of the lever 38.

The free end of the lever 34 has secured thereto a slotted head 4'! which constitutes a holder for a type box or frame 48, see Fig. 11. The box 48 may readily be inserted in or withdrawn from the vertical slot in the holder 41 and is formed with a series of cells, see Fig. 11, for reception of type slugs of suitable form, these slugs being inserted in the cells from the rear of the box and project;

ing from the forward face thereof. When the box is inserted in the holder 4|,'as shown in'Fig; 4, the rear face of the box is, in effect, closed by the abutting surface of the holder and the type held rigidly in position.

Mounted at the top of the plateZ inadjoining positions, see Fig; 10, are a standard 49, constituting an adjustable mounting for an inking pad 5|, and a second standard 52 in which is adjust-T ably supported a printing platen 53. As shown in Fig. 10, the standard 49 is secured t'othe plate 2 by screws which pass through slots 49a in the plate, thereby permitting adjustment of 'the standard in a direction normalto the face of the pad. Both the pad 5| and 'the'platen 53 occupy vertical planes,and the oscillatory movement of the type lever 34 effected: through the joint ac-i pending from the plate 2.

required for contact and subsequent disengagement both with the pad 5| and the platen 53.

As shown in Fig. 5, the cam groove 8a in the top of the cam 8 is. occupied by two rollers mounted respectively on the ends of levers 54 and 55. The lever 54 is of the bell crank type and is pivotally mounted on a stud 56 secured in and de- The opposite end of the lever 54. is provided with a vertically apertured boss 51, see Fig. 2, for reception of a pin 58. The pin 58 is vertically slotted at the top for reception of one end of a fiat rod 59 which is pivotally held in the slot by means of a pin 6|. The rod at its opposite end is pivotally secured to a lever 62 pivotally mounted upon a screw 63 which is secured in and projects transversely from the platen bracket 52. The hub 62a of the lever 62 is held against the side of the bracket 52 by means of a coiled spring 64 which is confined between the head of the screw 63 and the adjoining end of the hub. The lever 62 carries detachably secured thereto a blade 65 which cooperates with the outer edge of the platen 53, see Fig. l, toform shears functioning as hereinafter set forth to sever the individual tickets from the strip in which they are fed through the machine. The cam 8 and the interconnecting mechanism oscillates the lever 62in synchronism with the movement of the printing mechanism so that the blade 65 advances on its cutting stroke during that portion of the cycle-of operations in which the printing lever is displaced transversely from the platen toward the inking pad. This lateral displacement of the printing elements 'from the platen permits operation of the cutber. 68 adjustably secured-in and depending from an arm 69, which arm is secured to a shaft, element journaled in anddepending from" a detachable extension 12, of the plate2. The shaft also carries a bevel pinion 13 which-meshes.

with asecond pinion 14 secured-to a second-shaft element 15 also journaled in the extension mem ber 12 ina position at right angles to the shaft element The shaft element- 15 also carries an arm 16 which projectsforwardly in more or less parallel relation with the arm 69. The cam 8 through the interconnecting mechanism effects a horizontal oscillationof the arm 69,- and through the pinions Band 14' a vertical oscillation of the rod 16. As shown in Fig. 5, the arm 69 has pivotally secured to the freeend thereof a pawl 71- which in one adjusted position bears at its hooked end against the face of the platen 53 adjacent the lower edge of the latter, the pawl 1'! being resiliently held in this position by meansof a spring I8. This spring also is effective to retain the pawl in a retracted position, as shown in broken lines in Fig. 5. The pawl 11 by its reciprocatory movement across the bottom of the platen is effective to intermittently feed the strip of tickets across the platen and successively into the printing position, as hereinafter will be further described.

The crank member 68 occupies a slot 86 in the arm 59, which slot terminates at both ends in a rounded enlargement. The crank element has a part intermediate its ends of a diameter fitting the rounded terminal ends of the slot 85, and is held in position within said enlargements by a nut 81 on the threaded upper end of the crank element. The threaded portion of the element is slidable in the slot 85, and when the nut is backed up upon the screw, the crank element may be released from the rounded end portions so as to be free for adjustment to either end of the slot. The adjustment is for the purpose of regulating the effective stroke. of the pawl to accord with tickets of different widths.

The arm 16, see Fig. '7, carries at its outer end a pawl E9, th form of this pawl being shown in Fig. 8. When in its advanced position, as shown in Fig. 7, the pawl rides in a vertical guideway Si in an integral extension 82 of the plate 2, which extension immediately underlies the platen 53. As shown in Fig. 10, the guideway B is provided in its bottom with two vertical slots 83, and the pawl I is provided on its outer face and upper edge with projections 84, 84 which enter and slide in these slots. The upper edge of the pawl is held against the bottom of the guideway 8| by -eans of a spring 35, see Fig. 7, which spring is also eifective to hold the pawl I9 in a retracted position, as shown in broken lines. Reciprocation of the pawl "I9 eifects an upward feed over the face of the platen of a strip of labels of the general character shown in Fig. 13. A roll of these labels is mounted upon a suitable roller (not shown) within a casing 88 mounted on a bracket 89 secured to one of the transverse tie rods 9| which connect the lower ends of the uprights I. The casing 88 has a removable cover providing access to the interior and has an opening at the lower rear side from which the strip of labels may be drawn and passed around rollers 92 and 93, see Fig. 2, wherein the strip of labels is indicated in broken lines and by the reference numeral 94. From the roller 93 the strip passes upwardly and through an opening 95 in the depending guide bracket 96 at the bottom of the member 82, see Fig. 10. The strip then passes underneath a leaf spring 91, the lower end of which is clamped at the bottom of the depending bracket 96 and whose upper end rests against the bottom of the guideway 8|. This spring places a tension upon the strip which while permitting an advance movement of the strip under actuation by the pawl I9 tends to prevent a reverse movement of the strip. The strip is intermittently and progressively advanced upwardly through the guideway BI and over the face of the platen 53 by reciprocation of the pawl I9, as previously described.

The guideway BI is of a width corresponding to one width of label, and in order to provide guide means for labels of lesser width, at second and smaller guideway is formed on the outer face of the depending bracket 95:, as indicated at 98 in Fig. '7. The feeding action of these labels of narrower width is identical with that previously described.

The tickets, for printing which the machine is adapted, are provided in strip form, as shown in Fig. 12. A roll of these ticket blanks is mounted upon a horizontal reel 99 rotatably mounted in a boss IOI projecting upwardly from the plate 2. The strip of tickets is placed upon the cylin drical hub portion I02 of the reel, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, and the strip designated by the reference numeral I03 is passed around a free roller I04 and behind an upstanding pin I05 on an arm I05 extending from the platen bracket 52. The lower edge of the strip of tickets after passing behind the pin I05 rests upon an elevated strip I01 on the plate 2, this strip I01 extending continuously to the outer end of the extension 82, as shown in Fig. 10. Bearing against that portion of the strip I03 which lies behind the arm I06 is a dog I08 which is pivoted at I09 to the top of the strip I01 and which has attached to one end thereof a spring III which resiliently holds the inner end of the dog against the strip I03. This dog permits free advance movement of the strip, but tends to retard a reverse movement of the strip.

Slidably mounted upon a pin II2 depending from the top of the ink pad bracket is a weight II3 which normally rests upon the upper edge of the strip I03 and thereby tends to hold the strip downwardly upon the surface I01. The strip passes behind the ink pad bracket 49 and across the face of the platen 53, the strip still resting upon the top of the elevated surface I07. In feeding the strip across the platen, the hooked end of the pawl 'I'I engages in the recesses between the adjoining tickets, the movement of the pawl corresponding to the width of the individual tickets, and the pawl being so arranged that in each advance movement the connecting web between adjoining tickets is brought into a position registering with the shears 05-53.

It will be noted that the tickets I03 are somewhat thicker than the labels 94. In order to compensate for this relative thinness of the labels 04 and to avoid the necessity for readjustment of the printing bar 34 and the printing elements in changing from ticket printing to label printing, I provide the shim element I I4 shown in Fig. 9. This element is adapted for insertion between the ink pad bracket 49 and the platen bracket 52, and has a rearwardly extending flange II5 which lies under the edge of the platen bracket. A hooked extension I'I6 on the end of the shim element H4 in assembly embraces the outer end of the dog I08. The shim element is thus held in position extending across the face of the platen 53 and supplies the additional thickness required to bring'the labels 94 into conformity with the tickets I03.

The mode of operation of the machine will be apparent from the foregoing description. In printing the tickets I03, the label pawl I6 is retracted so that feeding of the labels cannot take place. The strip of tickets is advanced by an intermittent movement across the face of the platen, and each ticket when printed is immediately severed by means of the shear. If it is desired to print the gummed labels 94, the ticket pawl II is retracted and the pawl I9 adjusted into the operative position. The shim element is also inserted to compensate for the relative thinness of the gummed labels as previously described. Since in this operation the shear 65 is not employed, provision is made for releasing this element from its operating mechanism and for adjusting it to a retracted position. This is ac- V complished by withdrawing the pin 58 from the arm 54 and drawing the rod'59 rearwardly to a position in which the pin 58 may be inserted in an opening H1 at the rear of the plate 2. In

this rearward movement of the rod 59, the shear lever 62 is swung upwardly around its pivot to an elevated position above the top of the printing platen, the lever being retained in this position by the rod 59 after insertion of the pin 58 in the aperturell'l. The printing of the labels now proceeds in the manner previously described.

The shear mechanism may also be held out of action as described during the printing of tickets of the types shown in Figs. 12 and 14 where it may be desired to print the tickets in the strip.

tickets on both sides.

I claim:

1. In a printing machine, the combination with a printing platen, of an ink pad positioned. adjacent said platen, a printing member, and means for successively bringing said member into contact with said platen and with the ink pad, means for feeding a strip to be printed across the face of said-platen, and means immediately adjoining said platen for severing the printed portion of said strip, said shearing means being operative while the printing member is displaced from the platen in the direction of said ink pad.

2. In a printing machine, the combination with a printing platen, of an ink pad at one side of said platen, shearing means at the opposite side of said platen, a printing member, and mecha- The device permits, for example, printing of the nism for moving said member successively into engagement with the said pad and with the platcn, and means for actuating said shearing means in synchronism with the movement of said printing member to sever the strip while the said member is withdrawn from the platen in the di rection of the said pad. r

,3. .In a, printing machine, the combination with a printing platen, of means for feeding a strip transversely across the face of said platen, an inking device at one side of said platen, a shear blade cooperating with the opposite side edge of the platen to shear the strip, a printing element, mechanism for successively moving said element into contact with the inking pad and with the platen, and mechanism for actuating said blade in synchronism with the movement of said printing element to shear the strip during the periods when the printing member is withdrawn from the platen in the direction of the inking device.

4. In a printing machine, the combination with a printing member, an inking device, a platen, mechanism for successively bringing said printing member into engagement with the said device and with the platen, said mechanism comprising a floating fulcrum for said printing member, means for swinging said member around the fulcrum to positions in alignment respectively with the inking device and with the platen, and means for actuating the fulcrum to efiect a translational movement of the printing member toward and from the inking device and the platen.

5. In a printing machine, the combination with a printing platen and an inking device, of a lever having a fulcrum relatively fixed with respect to said device and platen, a second lever pivotally secured to said first named lever and movable about said pivot to positions aligned respectively with the platen and with said inking device, a printing element carried by said second lever, means for actuating the first named lever toad-- vance and retract the printing element with re-' spect to said inking device and to said platen, and means operating in synchronism with said actuating means for oscillating said second lever about its pivot into the said aligned positions.

6. In a printing machine, the combination with a printing element, of a floating lever supporting said element, a platen and inking device arranged for successive engagements with said element and having working faces angularly disposed with respect to each other, a pivot-ed lever constituting a floating fulcrum for said floating lever, and a cam member operatively associated with both of said levers and operative to effect successive movements of said printing element into engagement with the platen and with the inking device.

'7. In a printing machine of the stated character, the combination with a horizontal base plate, of a vertically positioned platen extending from said plate, an inking device mounted on said plate adjacent the'platen, a lever pivotally mounted on said plate, a floating lever pivotally secured to said first named lever, a printing element carried by said floating lever, means for actuating said levers to successively bring said printing element into engagement with the platen and with said inking device, said means comprising mechanism for oscillating the first named lever about its pivot to advance and retract the said element toward and from the platen and the inking device, and mechanism for oscillating the floating lever about its pivot to traverse the printing element between positions in alignment with the platen and with the inking device.

8. In a printing machine, the combination with a platen, of an inking device relatively fixed with respect to said platen, a shearing device positioned closely adjacent said platen, a printing element, means for traversing said element between positions aligned with the platen and with said inking device, and mechanism for actuating the shearing device in synchronism with the movement of said element whereby the shears are actuated when the printing element is displaced from the platen in the direction of the inking device.

9. In a printing machine, the combination with a printing platen, of an inking device positioned adjacent one side of said platen, a shearing element positioned closely adjacent the other side of said platen, a printing element, means for traversing said element between positions aligned with said inking'device and with the platen, and means for actuating the shearing device when the printing element is displaced from the platen in the direction of the inking device.

'10. In a printing machine, the combination with a printing platen, of a printing member operatively associated with said platen, mechanism for transversely moving said printing member periodically toward one side of the platen, and shearing means at the opposite side of said platen and synchronized with said'printing member so as to operate during the periods when the said member is transversely displaced with respect to the platen.

11. In a ticket printing machine, the combination with a printing platen, of mechanism for intermittently. advancing a strip of tickets across the face of the platen to bring said tickets successively into printing position, in which position theadvance edge of the ticket lies in alignment ing element cooperative with the platen to print said tickets, said printing element in the Working position obstructing the said. shearing edge of the platen, and means operating in synchronism with the ticket-advancing mechanism for successively actuating said shear and. printing elements in their respective functions and for moving said elements respectively into mutually nonobstructive positions after each actuation.

12. In a ticket printing machine, the combination with a printing platen and printing means operatively associated therewith, of mechanism for feeding a strip of tickets intermittently across the face of the platen to bring the tickets successively into printing position, means in proximity to the platen and substantially in alignment with the leading edge of each ticket when the latter occupies the said printing position for shearing the tickets individually from the strip, said printing and shearing means in their respective working positions being mutually obstructive one tothe other, and means operating in synchronism with said feeding mechanism for successively actuating said printing and shearing means and for retracting said means after each actuation into mutually non-obstructive positions, said shear being operative thereby to sever each successively printed ticket from the strip while it occupies the position to which it is advanced by movement of the succeeding ticket into the printing position and prior to the printing of the said succeeding ticket.

GEORGE W. HENRY, JR. 

